Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel and unique method of the in store addition of vitamins and other enhancers to pet food kibbles and a device to accomplish such method.
Description of the Prior Art
Dry, cereal based pet foods became popular during World War II when tin rationing curtailed the sale of canned dog food. The manufacturing process for making cereal based dry pet food, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,647,690, Process for Making Pet Food, issued to Patrick Corrigan, consists of blending dry ingredients such as animal fats and meals with soy, corn or wheat grains together with vitamins and minerals, pursuant to a specific recipe, compounded, to form a dough which is then sent through an extruder. In the United States, commercial preparation of pet food exceeds 12 tons per hour and is done in such a way that each batch is nutritionally and flavor wise identical to every other batch. Pet Food Manufacture, Wendy C. Brooks DVM, DABVP, on line at VeterinaryPartner.com.
Within the extruder, the dry ingredients are moistened, heated and then forced through dies to form kibbles. The heat in the extrusion process destroys most, if not all, of the naturally occurring vitamins, proteins and other enhancers present in the dry ingredients. To counteract the loss in nutritional value which occurs during extrusion and sometimes to add other beneficial ingredients such as palatants (flavor) or compounds directed at specific pet needs such as fatty acids including Omega 3 Fatty Acids as well pet with flavoring, vitamins, proteins and other enhancers. It is a further object of this invention to provide a method whereby consumers can input specific nutritional needs directly to the enhancement device using electronic communications such as the Internet. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention.